China Stalls TikTok Sale Talks | YMH Creator Roundup
Published 30 days ago • 2 min read
Top stories for bloggers, newsletter writers, and content creators.
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No. 1: China Stalls TikTok Sale Talks
TikTok's fate in the U.S. remains uncertain as ByteDance drags its feet on a sale, reportedly waiting for approval—or better trade terms—from Beijing. According to sources, the Chinese totalitarian government is not outright refusing to sell but wants serious concessions in return. With growing U.S.-China tensions, the clock is ticking on the April 5 deadline set by Washington. In spite of Trump's confidence in a deal, ByteDance may walk away. Plenty of buyers stand ready, from Microsoft to MrBeast, but if China refuses to play ball, TikTok's U.S. future could be out of American hands. Stay tuned—this one is far from over.
Advertisers are not walking away from audio. Three-quarters of marketers plan to either maintain or increase their investment in radio, podcasts, and other audio platforms in 2025. Social media and Connected TV are still getting the most significant spending boosts, but audio remains steady—likely because consumers are still tuning in. Meanwhile, generative AI has overtaken Connected TV as marketers' top priority, signaling a major shift in how brands approach content.
For creators, this means more ad dollars on digital platforms and a growing demand for AI-powered content strategies. The ad market is shifting, but audio is far from dead.
For bloggers with less than 50,000 monthly sessions, ad revenue has been tough to crack—until now. Journey by Mediavine opens the door at just 10,000 sessions, offering small sites premium ad tech without the wait. Powered by Mediavine's optimization tools, Journey delivers better ad rates than most beginner networks while keeping user experience intact. The catch? You'll need to install Grow, Mediavine's plugin, and meet their content and traffic quality standards. Journey provides a faster on-ramp if you're building toward serious ad income. It's not quite Mediavine proper, but it's a solid first step toward turning traffic into cash.
Substack may be the biggest name in newsletters, but many folks are looking for alternatives. The competition is fierce, and each platform has its own strengths. Beehiiv moves fast, rolling out features at a blistering pace. Ghost combines email with a full-fledged content management system. Hoppy Copy leans into AI-powered writing. Kit—formerly ConvertKit—has deep creator roots. Letterhead stands out for its revenue tools. And MailChimp? It's been around forever for a reason. If you're growing a newsletter, it pays to know what else is out there. The right tool could mean more subscribers—and more revenue.
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